Heretofore, shuttle and transfer devices have used extension booms to reach into stamping or molding presses. The extension boom is attached to the travel carriage of the shuttle device. The boom is equipped with gripper or vacuum cups that engage and hold the workpiece to enable it to be carried to or removed rom the die area or work station. The grippers or vacuum cups are activated pneumatically, and or electrically. This requires them to be fed air or electrical current via exposed hoses or electrical wires.
These hoses and wires are constantly moving and flexing back and forth with the reciprocating travel stroke of the shuttle device. They must be installed with sufficient additional length to allow for the full travel stroke plus and additional loop or suspended coil to allow for flex to enable adequate wearlife. These exposed hoses and wires hanging and traveling in congested work areas are most vulnerable and frequently catch on tooling or gaging devices. They are often cut or pulled loose from their fittings, thus disabling the pick-up boom assembly and shutting dowm the production sequence until they are repaired.